Travel+Leisure recently named Phu Quoc as the second-best island to visit in the world in 2024, surpassing tourism hotspots such as Bali (Indonesia) and Phuket (Thailand), ranking just behind the Maldives.
According to Travel+Leisure, Phu Quoc, located off the western coast of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, is an emerging tourism destination — and that's its greatest strength. While several beaches in Southeast Asia are developed, Phu Quoc maintains an understated tranquillity. But that doesn’t mean you can’t stay in luxurious accommodations.
Emerging destination with pristine nature
As introduced by Travel+Leisure and international media, Phu Quoc is a precious gem with natural beauty that few places possess. Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island (573 square kilometres), boasting white-sand beaches surrounded by crystal-clear emerald water.
Phu Quoc’s famous beaches, such as Kem, Sao, Truong and Ong Lang, all possess pristine, poetic and tranquil beauty. Phu Quoc also boasts a national park and marine nature reserve, which accounts for a large part of the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve.
Perhaps the most attractive thing to tourists is the southern area of Phu Quoc with 12 islands of the An Tho Archipelago. Unlike most beaches in Phu Quoc, southern beaches are especially clear with smooth and pure white sand. It is also known for its rich marine resources with colourful coral reefs in various shapes distributed around the islands. There are also a wide variety of fishes and sea grasses, an ideal place for those who love scuba diving and wish to admire the beauty of the ocean.
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The Kiss Bridge is one of the world’s most beautiful places to view sunset. (Photo: Quy Coc Tu) |
It is not hard to explain why Phu Quoc is the envy of many destinations in the world when the Vietnamese island is frequently included in the list of the most loved natural destinations. Besides Travel+Leisure, the Rankify Korea data network recently also announced the top ten foreign destinations loved by Korean tourists, with Phu Quoc claiming the top spot, surpassing Nha Trang and Tokyo. Previously, Phu Quoc was also named by the World Travel Awards as the world’s leading nature island destination.
Appeal not only comes from nature
When interviewed about Korean Air’s plans to increase flights to Phu Quoc in the latter half of the year, Kim Kye Yong, the airline’s Vietnam representative, explained about the island’s appeal. “Beyond its pristine nature, Phu Quoc has become attractive with its several luxury hotels, the world’s longest sea-crossing three-wire cable car, captivating theme parks, and stunning architectural structures in European style. Korean tourists are keen on taking photos to share on social media, and that’s why they adore this place that much. In other words, Phu Quoc is a destination where you can both relax and enjoy different experiences at the same time.”
In recent years, Phu Quoc has gradually become a “resort paradise” in its own rights with the presence of a series of world-renowned resort brands. Phu Quoc’s first echo to the world media is the five-star JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay developed by Sun Group and managed by Marriott International. The resort has successfully conquered high-end customers from around the world, including Indian billionaire Kaabia Grewal, who chose the resort for a luxurious wedding that lasted seven days and nights.
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Five-star resorts are transforming Phu Quoc into a paradise island. (Photo: JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort) |
Following the success of Marriott International, the island has also attracted many other famous names such as Accor, Rosewood Hotels, and Hilton, which launched blockbusting resorts at Kem Beach, Ong Doi Cape, and Sunset Town.
Positioned to become a new destination of the world, Phu Quoc is being invested to become more attractive and offer more experiences to visitors, with various superb products which have created a tourism boom for Phu Quoc. A prime example is Sunset Town — a 4-trillion-VND entertainment complex that offers visitors enjoyable experiences around the clock and all year round. Others include the Kiss Bridge — an iconic structure hailed by CNN; the world-class multimedia art show “The Kiss of the Sea”; Vui Phet — Vietnam’s first sea night market; and Viet A Oi — a puppet performing theatre. From Phu Quoc, visitors also have easy access to Hon Thom Island through the world’s longest sea-crossing three-wire cable car system to the joyous world of Sun World Hon Thom.
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Sunset Town — an entertainment complex in southern Phu Quoc with many new tourism symbols of Vietnam and the world. |
Phu Quoc is currently Vietnam’s only island to offer a visa waiver programme for foreign tourists with the duration of stay up to 30 days.
According to experts’ forecast, Phu Quoc can welcome up to 14.6 million visitors in 2024, competing directly with Asia’s major tourism centres such as Phuket and Bali. And its continuous international awards, especially its higher position than the world’s two paradise islands as voted by Travel+Leisure, have affirmed Phu Quoc’s increasing appeal to international visitors, but also provide a vibrant signal for Vietnam’s sea and island tourism in the coming time.
